SILVER CITY, N.M. – With the stretch run here and only a few games remaining, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team will look to continue their pursuit of making the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament this weekend when they host Colorado Christian University and Colorado School of Mines.


WNMU enters the weekend just 1.5 games back of UC-Colorado Springs for the eighth and final tournament spot. Colorado Mines is just a half game out, while New Mexico Highlands is tied with the Lady Mustangs.


First up on Friday night at 5:30 p.m. will be a matchup against CCU. The Cougars are 12-11 overall and 10-9 in the RMAC, currently holding the seventh spot. CCU lost their last game at home against Black Hills State (74-82), as prior to that they defeated Regis (73-70) and Chadron State (81-61). Jessica Murdoch leads the team in scoring at 14.3 per game, followed by 11.7 from Kate Louthan and 11.5 from Christina Whitelaw. Whitelaw also leads the team in rebounds per game (6.9), steals (85), and assists (94). Everything was clicking for the Lady Mustangs back on Dec. 7 when they matched up with CCU the first time coming away with the 95-67 victory.


The next night on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. WNMU will welcome in Colorado Mines. The Orediggers, like the Lady Mustangs, are battling for postseason positioning. CSM is 9-14 overall and 8-11 in the RMAC and are on a two-game winning streak defeating Black Hills State (66-40) and Chadron State (87-63) both in Golden. Even point distribution powers the Oredigger offense led by 11.7 from Courtney Gallo, 11.5 from Allie Grazulis, 9.7 from Taylor Helbig and 9.0 from Laura Tyree. In the earlier matchup back on Dec. 6 in Golden, the Orediggers held off a late Lady Mustangs rally to win by six, 84-78. It will also be senior night for two Lady Mustangs in Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) and Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School).


WNMU, currently 10-14 and 7-12 in conference, split their last weekend road trip defeating Western State, 69-50, and then nearly coming back against No. 2 Colorado Mesa before an 11-point defeat, 69-58. Junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) leads the team in scoring per game (13.2), assists (113), steals (47), free throws (75), and field goals (108). Junior guard Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) adds in another 12.3 points per night, as she leads the team in three-pointers (50) and also has 67 assists and 38 steals, both second to Newsome. Junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) is third in scoring at 11.4 per game, while pulling down 4.5 rebounds and has made 96 field goals. Junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) adds another 8.1 points per game and 8.6 rebounds.


In terms of individual rankings in the RMAC, Hernandez remains fifth in rebounding per game (8.6) and eighth in blocked shots per game (0.8), Mitchell is third in three-pointers per game (2.4), sixth in three-point percentage (38.5), 10^th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) and ninth in steals per game (1.8), Moore is 10^th in free throw percentage (79.5), Newsome is third in assists per game (4.7), ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1), and tied for fourth in steals per game (2.0).


As a team in the RMAC WNMU is eighth in scoring offense (67.2), seventh in scoring defense (66)eighth in scoring margin (1.2), tied for fourth in field goal percentage defense (38.7), seventh in three-pointers (5.6), fourth in free throw percentage (73.3), fifth in rebounding offense (38.8), first in turnover margin (3.67), fifth in assist-to-turnover (0.89), sixth in blocked shots (2.46), third in assists (14.42), and second in steals (10.29).